Feeding mechanism.



PATENTED FEB. 13, 1906.

W; s. LUGKETT. PEEDING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 812,219. PATBNTED FEB. 13, 1906. W. S. LUGKBTT.

FBEDING MEGHANISM.

ABPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED FEB. .13, 1906.

W. S. LUCKETT. FBEDING' MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY ze. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM S. LUCKETT, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL CIGAR MACHINERY COMPANY, NEWYORK, N. Y., -A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FEEDING NIECHANISIVI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

Application filed May 28, 1904. Serial No. 210,202.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. LUCKETT, a citizen of the United States, residing atEast Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanisms, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in feeding mechanisms, the improvements being more particularly7 intended for use in connection with cigar-machines.

In the manufacture of cigars, and more particularly in the manufacture of that class of cigars which are formed from what are termed shaped bunches-that is, bunches which have a greater diameter at the center than at the point and tip-it is desirable to form the bunches from what may be termed charges of tobacco, which vary in volume.

The present invention has for its obj ect to produce an improved feeding mechanism primarily intended for use with cigar-machines, although it may be used in other relations by which successive charges varying in volume may be removed from a receiver and delivered, so that a bunch of proper dimensions may be readily formed therefrom.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of so much of a cigar-machine having the improved feeding attachment applied thereto as is necessary to an understanding of the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the charge-separating means removed. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are detail views.

In the machine which has been selected to illustrate the invention the improved feeding mechanism is shown in connection with a cigar-bunching machine to which the feeding mechanism supplies the material for the bunches. It may be here remarked, however, that the feeding mechanism is capable of use in relations other than the one illustrated. I

The particular bunch-rolling mechanism illustrated is of the Chianti belt type. It is to be understood, however, that when the improved feeding mechanism is used in connection with a cigar-bunching mechanism the bunch-rolling mechanism may be of any suitable type.

As shown, there is provided a standard 1,

which supports the rolling-table 2, over which the rolling-belt 3 rolls the bunch, the belt being secured at one end 4 to the table and at the other end 5 to a bracket forming a part of the standard. The rolling is effected by means of the usual bight-forming roller 6, carried in arms 7, said arms being fast on a shaft 8, mounted in bracket-arms 9, pivoted on a stationary shaft 10. Connected to these arms and extending, in the construction shown, rearwardly therefrom is an operatinglever 11,having a cam-roll 12, said roll engaging with a cam-groove (not shown) in the cam-drum 18. The purpose of this construction, as will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art, is to give the roll a slight vertical movement to enable it to `clear the edge of the table 2 as it forms the bight and begins its operating or rolling movement. The swinging of the arms 7, by which the rolling of the bunch is effected, is in the construction shown accomplished by providing the shaft 8 with a segment-arm 14, the segment on said arm being engaged by a segment-arm 15, pivoted on the stationary shaft 10, before referred to, the rear end of said arm being provided with a roll 16, which engages a cam-groove (not shown) in the side of the cam-drum 13, before referred to. After the bunch has been deposited in the loop of the belt the arms are raised slightly and then given a swinging movement to roll the bunch, the bunch being rolled by the traveling loop or bight of the belt in a manner well understood by those familiar with the art.

The parts so far described have no special relation to the invention and are therefore illustrated .more or less diagrammatically.

The tobacco or other material to be fed by the feeding mechanism to be hereinafter more specifically described is contained in a holder which may be varied widely in its form and construction. In the preferred form of construction, however, the holder will be provided with a plurality of compartments. In the drawings the holder is shown as having three compartments 17, 18, and 19, respectively. As the tobacco is removed from the holder the amount therein is of ICO course reduced, andmeans are therefore provided to enable the removing or charge-carryingl mechanism to come at the tobacco. While this might be accomplished in various ways, in the preferred construction it will be effected by keeping the tobacco at a constantlevel in the holder, and in the particular construction shown this is accomplished by pro-` viding a movable bottom, which underlies all the compartments in the holder: :This bottom, as shown, consists of slats 20, which are secured to an arm 21, mounted to enable the' bottom to be moved upward asthe amount of tobacco in the holder decreases.- 4Thelup-i ward movement of the bottom may be. secured in any desired way. As shown, the arm 21l carriesltwo spring-pressed pawls 22 and` 23. The machinelframe is provided with a standard 24, and this standard carries a fixed rack 25, which 'is engaged by the pawl v23. `Worl ing in this standard 24 and rotated therein is'almovable rack 26, this rack' being .engaged bythe pawl The rack 26 issecured at its lower end to a cam-leverl 27,` said'lever being pivoted on a stationary,shaft` [in line with the shaft 10, before referred toy "s aidvshaft being shown in dotted lines inFigf. 3 and being marked 10',v This lever 27 is pro-f vided at its' end with lacam-roll 28, which-` works in a suitably-formed ca-m-grooverin a drum 29. This drum and the drum 13, be-l fore referred to, are -mounted on a drivingshaft 30, supported inbrackets-in the machine-frame. 7The'mecham'sm by which the charges of tobacco are removed fromi the holder may be yvaried widely in construction. In its pre-r ferredform, however, it will embody achargecarrier provided with suction devices, whichl are brought into contact with the tobacco and theftobacco being caused to adhere to. these devices by the action of the suction. In the construction shown there is provided a head 31, this vhead being carried on and formed in one piece with a suction-pipe 32, whichis elbow-shaped and which communicates V'withv any suitable suction-producing i mechanism." V(Not shown.) In the pre-` ferred form of the construction the mechanism for removing the tobacco from theholder will be of such a character that it removes and transports to thev delivery-point dier-V entv volumes of tobacco or other material being fed. In the construction shown this isv effected VbyV ypr `j`viding the head 31 rwith a plurality of suction-surfaces, and in the con- `p struction shownl three such surfaces are provided, these surfaces having different areas and being markedBS, 34, and 35. The suction-surface' coperates with the compartment 17, the surface 34 with the compart.`

ment 18, and the surface 35 with Vthe compartment '19. f l

It is obvious that a relative movement must be produced between the mechanism for removing .the tobacco and the hdlder, and in the construction shown this is accomplished by moving thehead andi surfaces, between the holder :and .thedelivery point, which in the present instance is the bunchrolling mechanism, although, as before indicated, the mechanism may, if desired, be used to deliver material in other relations than in a cigar-machine. The particular mechanismby which the head isgiven its `movements `may be varied within wide limits. As shown, however, there is provided a vertical shaft-` 36,v saidv shaft bein-g ...mounted in suitable bearings irl the frame.; ,Y This shaft extends into. .a bossiror socket T3771, depending from the under sidefof the y elbowpipe `-32 .the

any other ,desiredIWayf Theqshaftmay b e shaft beingpinned to thee-bossi @rv-.secured in given the-movement to fswingathe .head by f mecha-nismwhich .maybe of yany desired character. As shown, the ilowerfendnofthe v shaft is provided withafsegment, the said segment being engaged by a segment? 39 `fon a segment-lever 140, said lever, being-pivoted at 41 to astu'd on the framefofethe machine. vrIhis segment-lever .40 fis `a' ibent; levger;v in .the constructionshown-andicarries on its end a ybowl42, which runs in a circumferential camgroove 43, formed .in the drum 13.,..before referred to. 1 4In the., preferred constructionthe head after beingmswung so that its suctionsurfaces `arefover the holder isi-,dropped to bringit inlto'icontact -Withthe'tdbacco or 1 other materiahin the holder, and is then elevated, after-whichthahead-iis swung .to deliver the tobacco. The Iconstruction` by which the head is. given itsa` :vertical -movement may be=of 'anydesired chzufacter.: As shoWn,-1.(se.e Figsu, 2i,=anda?i,) there is provided a -cam-lever144, :this lever being pivoted on the nshaft1O,.before referred to, and being, provided with a roll 4.51,) whichmnderlies the hub ofthe segment 38,|before referred to. T heother ,fend-of thisvlever ijsprovdded with a roll 464, which engages a suitably-formed cam-groovein thexside-ofi'fthefcam-drum 15,

before referred to.

l Withtheconstructlori; it

is obvious that thesuctionsheadfwith itssuction-.surfaces differing :in areawillli gbe swung over ,the holder, dropped toi-piek up the tobacco, and swung back again :to the; deliverypoint, which.infthefmachineishownis the loop of the. rolling-belt, and=that-thl surfaces will be brought successively over thefdeliveryoint. It; is lfurthermore-=,obvious thatl the tobacco will bekeptat a proper level in the holder by meansof the upwardly,- moving bottom before-referredxto. p s

The ytobaceormay be discharged from the surfaces in any desired manner-as, for instance, by cutting oif .the suctionand ,allowing it tofall. therefrom; butin :themachine shown the suction will be acting all the time, and devices are therefore Vprovided for posi- IIO tively removing the tobacco from the suctionsurfaces. While these devices may be of any desired character, in the construction shown there is provided a scraper-bar 46, said bar being mounted on a hub 47, which loosely surrounds the boss 37, before referred to, the boss 37 being connected to the hub 47 by means of a torsion-spring 4S. The boss 37 is provided with a stop-lug 49, (see Fig. 2,) and the hub 47 is provided with a coperating stop-lug 50, and the spring 48 normally holds the hub 47 in such a position that its stop-lug 50 Will be against the lug 49. Itis apparent, therefore, that as the head swings the hub 47 Will swing With it. A stop 51 is secured to the frame in the path of the bar 46, this stop being so located that the bar 46 Will strike it just after the bar has passed the loop in the rolling belt. (See Fig. 4.) This stop 5l checks the further movement of the bar 46, and as the head continues its movement the surfaces 33, 34, and 35 Wipe over the bar 46, and the tobacco is removed by it from the surfaces.

By providing a holder With a plurality of compartments the tobacco is more readily kept at a proper level to be removed by the removing devices than Would be the case if, as might be done, the removing devices operated in connection with a holder having a single compartment. Furthermore, the use of separate compartments enables different qualities or kinds of tobacco to be employed in making a bunch, if it is desired. It Will also be understood that by properly proportioning the area of the different removing-surfaces the shape of the bunch may be readily controlled, the different surfaces depositing the tobacco in the apron or other receiving device at the points where it is Wanted to properly shape the bunch.

The operation of the machine Will be fully understood from the preceding description, and a detailed statement is therefore unnecessary.

Changes and variations may be made in the construction by Which this invention is carried into effect. The invention is not, therefore, to be confined to the particular construction herein shown and described.

Vhat is claimed isl. The combination with a holder, of means for removing a plurality of individual charges and conveying them separately to and assembling them at a common delivery-point, and a rolling mechanism, substantially as described. Y

The combination Witha holder, of means for removing a plurality of individual charges of varying volume therefrom and conveying them separately to and assembling them at a common delivery-point, and a rolling mechanism, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a rolling mechanism, of a holder, means for removing a plurality oflindividual charges from the holder and transferring the charges separately to and assembling them in the rolling mechanism, substantially as described.

4. The combination With a holder having a plurality of compartments, of means for removing individual charges from the compartments and transferring them to and assembling them at a common delivery-point, and a rolling mechanism, substantially as described.

5. The combination With a rolling mechanism, of a holder, a charge-carrier adapted to carry a plurality of charges, means for meving the charge-carrier between the holder and the rolling mechanism, and means for causing the carrier to deliver the charges successively to the rolling mechanism, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a rolling mechanism, of a holder, a charge-carrier adapted to carry a plurality of charges of varying volume, means for moving the charge-carrier between the holder and the rolling mechanism, and means for causing the carrier to deliver the charges successively to the rolling mechanism, substantially as described.

7. The combination With a rolling mechanism, of a holder having a plurality of compartments, means for removing a charge from each compartment and for transferring the charges separately to and assembling them in the rolling mechanism, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a holder comprising a plurality of compartments, of means for removing individual charges from the hold er and transporting them separately to and assembling them at a common delivery-point, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a holder, of a suction charge-separator operating to remove a plurality of individual charges from the holder 'and transport them to a common delivery-point, substantially as described.

10. The combination With a holder, of a suction charge-separator operating to remove a plurality of individual charges varying in volume from the holder and transport them to a common delivery-point, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a rolling mechanism, of a holder for granular material, a suction charge-separator operating to remove a plurality of charges from the holder, and means for actuating the separator to transfer the charges to the rolling mechanism, substantially as described.

12. The combination With a rolling mechanism, of a holder, a suction charge-separator operating to remove a plurality of charges varying in volume from the holder, and means for actuating the separator to transfer the charges to the rolling mechanism, substan- 'tially as described IOO IIO

13. The combination with a holder for granular material, of suction charge-removing means, means for effecting relative movements between the holder and the removing means, whereby the removing means is positioned with respect to the material in the holder, and means whereby the material in the holder and the removing means are brought into juxtaposition.

14. The combination with a rolling mechanism, of a holder for granular material, suction charge-removing means, and means for moving the charge-removing means into taking position with respect to the holder and delivery position with respect to the rolling mechanism, and means whereby the material in the holder and the removing means are brought into juxtaposition.

15. The combination with a rolling mechanism,of a holder for granular material,a suction charge-removing device, and means for causing said device to remove charges from the holder and transfer them to the rolling mechanism, substantially as described.

16. The combination with a holder comprising a plurality of compartments, of charge -removing means cooperating with each compartment, and means for actuating said charge-removing means to remove charges from the compartments and to assemble them at a common delivery-point, said charge-removing means being constructed to remove charges of varying volume from different compartments, substantially as described.

17. The combination with a rolling mechanism, of a holder comprising a plurality of compartments, suction charge-removing means cooperating with each compartment, and mechanism for actuating said charge-removing means to remove charges from the compartments and deliver them to the rolling mechanism, substantially as described.

18. The combination with a rolling mechanism, of a holder comprising a plurality of compartments, suction charge-removing means cooperating with each compartment, said charge-removing means being constructed to remove charges of different volumes from different compartments, and means for actuating said charge-removing means to deliver the charges to the rolling mechanism, substantially as described.

19. The combination with a holder, of a suction charge-carrier having a plurality of.

operating-faces varying in area, means for producing a relative movement between the charge-carrier and the holder and for causing the faces to deliver at a common point, substantially as described.

20. The combination with a holder having a plurality of compartments, of a suction charge-carrier having a plurality of operating- -surfaces, one for each compartment, said surfaces differing in area, and means for moving the carrier to bring its surfaces to a common discharging-point, substantially as described.

21. The combination with a rolling mechanism, of a holder having a plurality of compartments, a suction-carrier having a plurality of operating-surfaces varying in area, and means for moving the carrier so as to bring the surfaces of the carrier into di scharging position with respect to the rolling mechanism, substantially as described.

22. The combination with a rolling mechanism, of a holder having a plurality of compartments, means for maintaining the material at a substantially constant level in the compartments, a suction-head having' a plurality of operating-surfaces, one for each compartment, the surfaces varying in area, and means for moving the head from the holder to the rolling mechanism, substantially as described.

23. The combination with a rolling mechanism, of a holder having a plurality of compartments, a suction-head having a plurality of operating-surfaces differing in area, means for 'moving the head from the holder to the rolling mechanism, and a discharging device cooperating with the surfaces, substantially as described.

24. The combination with a rolling mechanism, of a holder having a plurality of compartments, a suction-head having a plurality of operating-surfaces diering in area, means for moving the head from the' holder to the rolling mechanism, and a scraper cooperating -with the surfaces, substantially as described.

25. The combination with a rolling mechanism, of a holder having a plurality of compartments, means for maintaining the material at a substantially constant level in the compartments, a suction-head having a plurality of operating-surfaces, one for each com partment, the surfaces varying in area, means for moving the head from the holder to the rolling mechanism, and a discharging device cooperating with the surfaces, substantially as described. l

` 26. The combination with a rolling mech- IOO IIO

anism, of a holder having a plurality of compartments, means for maintaining the material at a substantially constant level in the compartments, a suction-head having a plurality of operating-surfaces, one for each compartment, the surfaces varying in area,means for moving the head from the holder to the rolling mechanism, and a scraper cooperating with the surfaces, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set `my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

n WILLIAM S. LUCKETT.

Witnesses:

E. W. STUART,

N. H. GLAssFoRD. 

